


Real As Anything (The Waffles Remix)

by unsettled



Category: Inception (2010)
Genre: Fluff, M/M, POV Outsider, Weddings
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-05-07
Updated: 2014-05-07
Packaged: 2018-01-23 21:22:12
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,116
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1579952
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/unsettled/pseuds/unsettled
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>He has more fun picking out the gifts than he'll ever admit.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Real As Anything (The Waffles Remix)

**Author's Note:**

  * For [angelgazing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelgazing/gifts).
  * Inspired by [Everything Is Coming Up Rainbows](https://archiveofourown.org/works/128414) by [angelgazing](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelgazing/pseuds/angelgazing). 



"You knew?" Ariadne asks, the second she comes back. 

"I knew?" Yusuf says, confused. "Wait, I knew what?"

She points at Eames, who is still blinking away the dredges of the dreamscape, and then at Arthur, who is sitting up and doing his best to look exceedingly grumpy. It's a bit spoiled by the hints of humor that linger in his eyes, but Yusuf isn't about to tell him that. "Them!" Ariadne exclaims. "Them being _married_." 

"Oh," he says. "well, yes. You … didn't?" And he supposes it isn't that great of a surprise that she wouldn't know, but they've never really made a secret of it. They aren't obvious, but they don't do anything to really hide it either. It was right there, if you looked a little. Or just asked, even. But then again, Eames probably would have found it amusing to see just how long he could keep people fooled.

He's known for years now, known since the very first time, known since before then, really. Eames is an old friend – and _old_ friend (and Eames would make horrible faces at him if he could hear that emphasis on 'old') – and Yusuf knows him very well by this point. He notices when a certain man keeps coming up in Eames' conversations, in his rants and complaints about various jobs. Notices that the rants featuring the name Arthur are just a little less vehement, a little hint of some other kind of frustration. Notices that eventually, Eames has other things to say about Arthur altogether.

Puts a face to the name, finally, when Cobb tempts him into a more active role in a job, and the way Eames watches Arthur tells Yusuf worlds about just why those complaints were a little softer edged. Eames has never progressed much past five when it comes to dealing with someone he likes – the more cutting his remarks to Arthur, the more attraction he is feeling, a fact that never ceases to make Yusuf roll his eyes. But Arthur snipes right back, gives as good as he's getting, better; Yusuf can almost see the stars in Eames' eyes, and he ducks his head when he can't help but smile over the two of them. Eames still notices, of course, so Yusuf is soon treated to a steady stream of teasing over the improbable possibility of Ariadne's affections.

After the disaster of the Fischer job (it may be a bit hard to classify it as a disaster considering that they did complete the job, but Yusuf feels there are very few other polite words that would describe the nightmare that job was), they'd mostly gone off their separate ways. Only to drift back, person by person, as they realized how well they'd actually worked together. How solid of a team they had – could any other team have pulled that off? Not likely. How much they enjoyed working with each other, playing off each others strengths. It's something different than any of them have ever had, with the exception of Cobb, and with that sense of security comes – for Eames and Arthur, at least – a willingness to consider something previously ill advised.

He sees the difference in their interactions when they start fucking, and sees just as clearly the shift after the Murphy job. Eames tells him, easily enough, when he asks what's happened, a little shy, a little wary. A lot pleased with himself, of course. Yusuf offers his congratulations, and that's enough for Eames – but Arthur, Arthur he doesn't know quite as well, and Arthur – he wouldn't want to try and explain it to anyone, but he's known Eames so long that Eames holds that odd place of almost family. Eames would laugh himself sick if Yusuf told him he wanted to welcome Arthur in, so he doesn't tell Eames at all. 

Arthur has the same mix of wary and pleased when Yusuf offers him a congratulations and a gift wrapped box, but his slightly confused smiles is genuine. 

He finds out about the next one only thanks to a drunken text from Eames. He almost doesn't take it seriously – they're already married, after all – but decides to play along, even if it's just a joke, and sends off a package two days later. He finds out via another (not so drunken) text that Eames thinks he's nuts and hilarious, Arthur thinks he's sweet and hilarious, and neither of them have ever tried fondue. Yusuf suspects the pot will either never be used or end up demolished with both Eames and Arthur covered in cheese, but it was as much a gag gift as a real one. 

He learns enough about Arthur over the years to pick out more useful presents for their ridiculously frequent weddings, which he continues to hear about, no doubt because Eames does think it's hilarious that he insists on getting them a gift each time. Yusuf doesn't mind; it's not like he has that many people to buy presents for, and it's not Eames he's really doing it for anyway. Cookware and small kitchen appliances seem to be the way to go, he's decided, seeing how Arthur, despite giving the appearance he lives off nothing but tea and takeout, actually seems to enjoy cooking, opposed to Eames, who does live off nothing but tea and takeout (and now, whatever Arthur cooks). He's not sure he'll ever beat the waffle iron (who would have guessed?), which resulted in an invitation for breakfast (really more of a lunch, but he's not complaining) and really, really good waffles. 

He doesn't ask about the lack of a ring, or the reasons behind the multiple marriages, or how they even acquire them, sometimes; he doesn't ask the why of anything Eames does, really, and that works out for the best. 

So yes, he knows. 

"How did it even come up?" he wonders out loud, as Ariadne continues to glare at him. 

Cobb grins. Arthur sighs. 

"There was a wedding!" Eames says, with a far too cheerful grin. "I got to be the bride this time," he adds. 

"Aren't you usually the bride?" Arthur says. "And I really don't think that counts, even for you, Eames. A four year old isn't exactly an officiator." 

"Husband and _husband_ ," Eames counters, which doesn't make any sense but Yusuf stops paying attention about then, as they descend into cheerful bickering. He doesn't really want to know why there was a wedding in the midst of this particular job, really. He needs to come up with a present, and after – after – ok, he lost count somewhere around 20 – after this many weddings, he's starting to run out of ideas. 

Maybe he'll switch to guns. 


End file.
